Various wireless access technologies have been proposed or implemented to enable mobile stations to perform communications with other mobile stations or with wired terminals coupled to wired networks. Examples of wireless access technologies include GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) and UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) technologies, defined by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP); and CDMA 2000 (Code Division Multiple Access 2000) technologies, defined by 3GPP2.
As part of the continuing evolution of wireless access technologies to improve spectral efficiency, to improve services, to lower costs, and so forth, new standards have been proposed. One such new standard is the EUTRA (Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access) standard from 3GPP, which seeks to enhance the UMTS technology. The EUTRA standard is also referred to as the Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard.
In a wireless communications network, there are usually many coverage areas (also referred to as cell sites) each including communications equipment, including base stations. It is possible that a wireless communications network provided by a particular service provider can use equipment from multiple different vendors. In such an arrangement, the overall region serviced by the service provider can include communications equipment made by different vendors. An issue associated with deploying a wireless communications network having equipment from multiple vendors is that there may not be adequate mechanisms in place to mitigate inter-cell interference. Inter-cell interference refers to interference of signaling communicated in a first cell site (having communications equipment of a first vendor)) due to signal transmissions in a second cell site (having communications equipment of a second vendor).